


No Turtle's an Island

by Welshgreendragon



Category: TMNT (2007)
Genre: Anxiety, Gen, sensory overloads
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-30
Updated: 2018-05-30
Packaged: 2019-05-16 02:36:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14802749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Welshgreendragon/pseuds/Welshgreendragon
Summary: Sometimes those around us are there for us even when we think we are alone.





	No Turtle's an Island

**Author's Note:**

> Just a really short oneshot based on my own experiences with sensory overloads, sorry if it doesn't fit with other peoples experiences but I can only speak from my own experiences. Not really worth reading but hey ho.
> 
> Disclaimer: Don't own TMNT

Being alone in a room full of people can bring on the strangest feelings, Donatello mused watching silently as the small circle of people he'd grown to care about so dearly bustled around him. Soda drink in hand he watched on smiling, subtlety taking some pictures on his T-phone.

It had been Mikey's idea to throw the party, claiming Leo needed a proper turtle welcome home, personally he thought Mikey really didn't need an excuse but after the past miserable years of Leo's absence no one put much resistance.

Even though the only guests had been April and Casey the party seemed to be in full swing, Mikey must have picked up a trick or two from working as Calabumga Carl as the music was blasting and of course the food was pizza (seriously 14 pizzas Mikey?). But it had done the trick this was the happiest he had seen his family in a long time. Master Splinter seemed to regaling some misadventure from their youth to a giggling April and judging at her repeated glances at Raphael, the red banded turtle must be the unfortunate turtle in question. Probably the time Raph refused to go into his room for 3 weeks because he saw a spider, which wasn't as long ago as he would have people believe.

Turning to his brothers and Casey he sighed, if this is what they were like without alcohol he didn't want to be around when do drink. The 4 of them were a sight to behold Casey was hooting and spilling his drink in his enthusiasm. Mikey had his bandana pushed up on his forehead looking like a cheesy 80's action movie character complete with war paint, cheering on as Leo and Raph were engaged in an arm wrestling match. For once the two older brothers competing in something that wasn't a near death match. It seemed the feuding pair had reached some kind of truce after the incident at winters palace, while Donatello doubted it would last it was a welcome change of pace for the time being. But no matter how well they were getting along the two were still the most competitive beings he knew so he doubted it would be a quick match (although if he were a betting turtle he would put his money on Raphael, because when it came to brute strength Raph always triumphed.)

Everyone seemed so happy.

So why couldn't he shake this sick feeling in his stomach. After all Leonardo had returned home relinquishing him of a title he had neither asked for, nor wanted. Raphael and his relationship had returned to steady ground, Master Splinters health was now in good stead and Mikey was now genuinely happy for the first time in years. Their family was complete, but like the pictures he was snapping on his phone he didn't appear to be in the frame.

"Not since the prodigal son had returned." Quickly trying to shake his thoughts of envy he reasoned that their father had always preached that each of them had their role to play in the family, he just wasn't quite sure what his was still.

When did the music get so loud, his thoughts turning to dust when the relentless beat pulsed painfully in his ears. It wasn't until he realised the lyrics had become too jumbled to understand that he knew what was happing.

It was like someone had turned up that volume of the room by a hundred and had put everyone else but him on fast forward. Words despite being ear splittingly loud were incomprehensible murmuring and mashing together. Movement also seemed distorted in a way he could never find the right way to describe, too fast but strangely stilted at the same time being the only words that made an ounce of sense. Whatever it was left him disorientated and clumsy.

He could still hear his family laughing as he slipped away up the stairs to his room clumsily shutting the door behind him. He didn't bother with the light, it only ever made these episodes worse, it was an easy room to negotiate anyway being the smallest (which in return for his lab was a deal worth taking). He almost threw himself on his bed desperately slamming his pillow over his head trying to block all noise of the celebrations downstairs. His heart beat and breathing seemed almost too loud for his head to take.

Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick

"Shut up, Shut up." He almost whined, fumbling desperately on his night stand for the source of the relentless torment to his head.

Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick

The clock was just mocking him relentlessly, so he didn't feel that bad when instead of pulling out the batteries he smashed the damn thing. 'Proof I'm related to Raph after all.' He thought wirily. Pulling the pillow tighter over he prayed that this episode would end. There was no way that he knew of that would end his torment, instead he began his ritual of reciting pie to as many places as it took to fall asleep.

One downside of being on your own in a room full of people is that no one cares if you stay or go.

Little did Donatello know of eyes that followed him during his hasty exit, nor did he notice when the music was turned off an hour later. He never knew of the excuse his father gave April when she had wanted to bid him farewell as she and Casey ventured home. Nor the training pushed an hour later than originally planned. He only knew of the pizza left in the fridge with his name across the box in his father's neat penmanship.

As even after all these years nothing went by without the old rat noticing, especially when it came to one of his sons.


End file.
